This invention relates to a system for mounting elastomeric grade crossing panels without the necessity of penetrating the ties that support the panels.
It has become common practice to install elastomeric grade crossing panels between the rails and between the rails and the roadway to form railroad grade crossings. These panels are manufactured in relatively short segments which are placed end to end in order to facilitate their manufacture, transportation and installation. Because of their size and the lightness of the elastomeric material, these panels tend to move along the rails when vehicular traffic crosses them unless they are affixed to the ties. This does not create any problem when the panels are placed on wooden ties since spikes or timber screws can be inserted through openings provided in the panels and driven into the ties. However, it is desirable not to install fasteners in concrete ties since doing so can cause degradation of the concrete, and if the fastener strikes reinforcing bar in the tie it will cause a reduction in the strength of the tie.
In the past elastomeric grade crossing panels have been attached to plates that are joined to the concrete ties by adhesives in order to overcome the foregoing problem. However, adhesives often lose their effectiveness with age and exposure to the elements and as a result the panels become loose. When an adhesive bond does remain intact, it prevents the panels from being easily removed when periodic tamping of the ballast the ties are supported on becomes necessary.
The subject invention overcomes the foregoing problems by attaching each panel to its adjacent panels so that movement of the panels is resisted by their entire weight, thereby making it unnecessary to mechanically affix the panels to the ties. This is accomplished by providing a plurality of plates that rest on the ties beneath the ends of adjacent panels. The plates have upwardly extending projections that fit in recesses located in the bottoms of the panels, with each plate having projections that engage the recesses in two or more panels. The projections have threaded openings extending through them and the panels have bores aligned with the recesses through which bolts can be inserted and engaged in the threaded openings. The panels are secured to the plates, and thus to one another, by tightening the bolts. In a preferred embodiment of the invention at least one of the plates is a locking plate which has wings that fit over the sides of the tie. Thus, the locking plate is restrained against lateral displacement on the tie.
The gauge panels, which fit between the rails, preferably only extend half-way between the rails in order to simplify installation. Thus, the gauge panels have inner corners which abut the inner corners of three other gauge panels. The gauge plate, which interconnects these gauge panels, fits under the four adjacent inner corners and has four projections, one of which engages each of the panels.
The field panels, which fit between the rails and the roadway, generally are full width and thus field plates normally only have two projections.
End restraints can be provided in order to ensure that the panels do not move longitudinally along the rails and that the exposed ends of the terminal panels do not lift. Each end restraint includes a base element that fits over and around an associated end tie and a contact element that attaches to the base element and abuts the outer end of the terminal panel. Timber screws extend through the end plate into the terminal panel.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the subject invention to provide a railroad grade crossing in which elastomeric crossing panels can be mounted immovably without having to penetrate the ties.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide such a grade crossing in which individual panels can be easily removed and reinstalled to facilitate retamping the ballast in the railroad bed.
It is a still further object of the subject invention to provide such a grade crossing in which adjacent panels are attached to one another so that the entire weight of the crossing elements resist movement of the panels.
It is a still further object of the subject invention to provide such a railroad grade crossing in which the panels can be quickly and easily installed.
The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.